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What is Football Tackling Drills – The Eye Opener?

Football Tackling Drills – The Eye Opener is a free football drill on FantasyHQ’s Football Coaching hub for football drills work. Use the setup notes and coaching cues below to add it to this week’s practice plan.

  • Football Tackling Drills – The Eye Opener is part of FantasyHQ’s free football drills library.
  • Focus: Football Drills.

How to run this drill

Football Tackling Drills – The Eye Opener is built for youth, high-school, and volunteer coaches who need clear drill language — not a random cone circuit. Beginners can install the first progression; experienced staffs can layer competition.

  1. Read the purpose once, then walk the setup on air before live tempo.
  2. Demonstrate one clean rep so players see landmarks, pad level, and finish.
  3. Run short competitive periods — quality reps beat long lines.
  4. Close with one coaching cue players can repeat in the huddle next period.

Full drill

These are good [tag]football tackling drills[/tag] to use in order to teach both straight on and angle tackling depending on how player x runs through the hole.   Form and technique are the most important here and not taking the player to the ground.

Tackling Drill – The Eye Opener:

Line 4 bags(1) about 12 inches from the goal-line approximately 4 feet apart perpendicular to the line:

x
1     1       1       1
y

Give player x the ball and he faces looking towards the 4 bags(1) with his side exposed to player y the defender who is in a good two point stance facing player x.

On the coach’s signal player x runs laterally along the top of the bags and picks one hole to run through. Player y shuffles laterally along the opposite side of the bags mirroring ball carrier x and when x picks a hole player y steps up and makes a good form “thud tackle”.

Coaches should make sure that the head is in a good position, that the defender steps up, attacks the hole the ball carrier picks, gets a good chest to chest contact, explodes with the hips and wraps up the ball carrier.

This is a good thud contact [tag]football drill[/tag] and once contact has been made the [tag]football coach[/tag] blows the whistle and critiques the tackle.

The drill is not to take the ball carrier to the ground but to make good contact with the head in a good position either across the front of the body in angle tackling or tucked to the side or back, chest to chest for straight on tackling.

All players in the group take a turn on either side of the [tag]football[/tag].

Coaching tips

  • Keep one cue per rep so kids hear the same language every time.
  • Film the first live set; pause on footwork and finish, not just the ball.
  • Pair this drill with a matching play install so practice transfers to game day.
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Football Tackling Drills – The Eye Opener FAQ

What is the Football Tackling Drills – The Eye Opener drill?
Football Tackling Drills – The Eye Opener is a free football drill on FantasyHQ’s Football Coaching hub for football drills work. Use the setup notes and coaching cues below to add it to this week’s practice plan.
Who should use this football drill?
Football Tackling Drills – The Eye Opener is built for youth, high-school, and volunteer coaches who need clear drill language — not a random cone circuit. Beginners can install the first progression; experienced staffs can layer competition.
How do I run Football Tackling Drills – The Eye Opener in practice?
Read the purpose once, then walk the setup on air before live tempo. Demonstrate one clean rep so players see landmarks, pad level, and finish. Run short competitive periods — quality reps beat long lines.
Is this drill free?
Yes. Browse FantasyHQ football drills, youth plays, and coaching guides free on Football Coaching.

Guide · Football Coaching

Football Tackling Drills – The Eye Opener

Football Tackling Drills – The Eye Opener is a free football drill on FantasyHQ’s Football Coaching hub for football drills work. Use the setup notes and coaching cues below to add it to this week’s practice plan.

These are good [tag]football tackling drills[/tag] to use in order to teach both straight on and angle tackling depending on how player x runs through the hole.

What you get

Practice drills with setup notes, youth play diagrams ranked easy to hard, FLAG and tackle coaching guides, and a path into live NFL coaching staffs.

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